Pavin's Military Overtures Are Out of Place

Corey Pavin brought in a fighter pilot to deliver an inspirational speech to his players, while Colin Montgomerie called on Seve Ballesteros and Gareth Edwards. And so the lines continued to be drawn for a Ryder Cup which will now inevitably be compared to the notorious 1991 tussle at Kiawah Island.

Of course, the Welsh crowd will never descend into the patriotic rabble which threatened golf's genteel reputation on the South Carolina coast two decades ago (if nothing else, the wet and grey conditions will surely dampen down any raucousness). No, the memories have been pricked by Pavin's military overtures. Considering he was one of the principal combatants in the "War On The Shore" all those years ago, it really has been a staggering move by the US captain.